Top 5: 2014

Looking through my list of 70 reads from 2014, I have compiled the five-most favourite and stick-with-me books.


1. The Shadow of the Wind ~ Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This is what love reads like. 

I fell in love with the characters, the style, and the world.

Because of that, I gifted this book to my soul mate. 

Exquisite.

2. The Story of Owen: Dragonslayer of Trondheim ~ E K Johnston

Was this book written for me?

Marketed as Young Adult, that is far from the truth. 

Passages detailing the Dragons in an alternate history fill out the incredible world.

Memorable characters, impeccable writing, coolest story.

Dragons in Canada. Need I say more?

3. Crown of Midnight ~ Sarah J Maas

Having read and loved Throne of Glass last year, 

I continued the story and was not disappointed.

The series is now one of my top fantasy favourites, hence why both books are tied for third.

World expanding, characters deepening, plot twisting.

Heir of Fire ~ Sarah J Maas 

Ended 2014 with this incredible intallment.

Simultaneous storylines that kept me reading, never once hating any of the voices.

New characters. New favourite characters. 

Same old characters, reminding me why I love this series.

Brava Maas! Consider A-Game brought.

4. Shadows Cast By Stars ~ Catherine Knutsson

First to support a fellow Canadian,
second drawn in by the premise, and

third because it encorporated elements of the mythos of west coast First Nations.

Reality blurs between a dystopian world, barren and lost, 

and the spirit world, in need of healing.

The story was a journey, one I'd like to take again and again.

5. Green Rider ~ Kristen Britain

Found by happenstance. My year's goals changed because of this series.

Fantasy became a bigger part of my reading life.

Karigan (main character) is happily one of my most favourite characters ever. 

The High King's Tomb ~ Kristen Britain

Blown away by the complexity of the story.

I've never read a book like this.

I could hear the whispers of autumn clearly in my mind.

Pastoral and smooth writing helped me finish this 670 page tome in a week.

I want to write like Britain.

These are low on the list because the other books in the series did not receive as high a rating. 

Still good. Still excellent. 

These two are the stand outs in this series,

of which I devoured all published books this year - all 3,202 pages of it.

Cheers to another good year of reading!

Challenges: 2014

[Moved from page to post form to accommodate the 2015 list.]


Vlain and Kron's 2014 Challenge

For 2014, I borrowed and tweaked this couple's challenge. I was inspired by a few BookTube videos where each partner in the relationship challenges the other to read five books chosen by them.

I asked my best friend, Vlain, whether that sounded like fun. We would choose five books for the other person, that we had read, from our library. Together we could not narrow down our list to five books, so we agreed pick ten and the other person could choose five from that list of ten. If we were so inclined to read others, we most certainly could. After all, to read five books over a year is an easy challenge.

If anything, the biggest struggle was to choose books that we not only liked but thought that the other would like as well.

My Challenge List:

Enchantment ~ Orson Scott Card
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep ~ Philip K Dick
The Silver Chair ~ C.S. Lewis
The Eyre Affair ~ Jasper Fforde
A Wrinkle in Time ~ Madeleine L'Engle
Pirates Passage ~ William Gilkerson
Hood ~ Stephen R Lawhead
The Dream of Perpetual Motion ~ Dexter Palmer
The Water Room ~ Chrisopher Fowler
A Walk in Wolf Wood ~ Mary Stuart 

Vlain's Challenge List:

Sabriel ~ Garth Nix
I Capture the Castle ~ Dodie Smith
Poison ~ Chris Wooding
The Blue Sword ~ Robin McKinley
Snow ~ Tracy Lynn
The Book of Knights ~ Yves Meynard
Trickster's Choice ~ Tamora Pierce
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray ~ Chris Wooding
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase ~ Joan Aiken

Update: We each read 5 on our lists, taking the others as recommendations for another time.



Page Count

Currently at: 27, 974 pages
Goal: 20,000 pages// Met. Keep going.
Updated: December 31, 2014

Book Count

Currently at: 70
Goal: 55 // Met. Keep going.
Updated: December 31, 2014

A-Z Challenge (See blog post)

BookTube-A-Thon 2014 (See blog post and TBR)
Daily updates: Click on each for the daily blog update
Day 1 --- Day 2 --- Day 3 --- Day 4 --- Day 5 --- Day 6 --- Day 7

Books To Read: 2014

[Moved from page to post form to accommodate the 2015 list.]

In no particular order, the books I've on my reading list:

The Diviners ~ Libba Bray
Ender's Shadow ~ Orson Scott Card
Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ~ Michelle Hodkin
Shadows Cast By Stars ~ Catherine Knutsson
Interview with the Vampire ~ Anne Rice*
Evelina ~ Fanny Burney*
Angelfall ~ Susan Ee
Falling Kingdoms ~ Morgan Rhodes
Allegiant ~ Veronica Roth
The Archived ~ Victoria Schwab*
Vicious ~ Victoria Schwab
The Darkest Minds ~ Alexandra Bracken
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown ~ Holly Black
The Name of the Wind ~ Patrick Rothfuss
Crown of Midnight (2) ~ Sarah J. Maas
Fangirl ~ Rainbow Rowell
Landline ~ Rainbow Rowell
Cinder ~ Marissa Meyer
Wither ~ Lauren DeStefano
The Maze Runner ~ James Dashner
The Bronze Horseman ~ Paullina Simons*
The Iron Thorn ~ Caitlin Kittredge *
Witchlanders ~ Lena Coakley
Keturah and Lord Death ~ Martine Leavitt  
The Scroll of Years ~ Chris Willrich 
Elske ~ Cythia Voigt



Series:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone ~ Laini Taylor
Days of Blood and Starlight (2) ~ Laini Taylor
Dreams of Gods and Monsters (3) ~ Laini Taylor*
Mistborn: The Final Empire ~ Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2) ~ Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (3) ~ Brandon Sanderson
The Knife of Never Letting Go ~ Patrick Ness
The Ask and the Answer (2) ~ Patrick Ness
Shadow and Bone ~ Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm (2) ~ Leigh Bardugo
Shatter Me ~ Tahereh Mafi
Unravel Me (2) ~ Tahereh Mafi
The Green Rider ~ Kristen Britain
First Rider's Call (2) ~ Kristen Britain
The High King's Tomb (3) ~ Kristen Britain
Blackveil (4) ~ Kristen Britain 
Mirror Sight (5) ~ Kristen Britain
Graceling ~ Kristin Cashore
Fire (2) ~ Kristin Cashore

Bookclub:
The Monuments Men ~ Robert M. Edsel 
The Imp of the Perverse ~ Edgar Allan Poe
A Descent into the Maelstrom ~ Edgar Allan Poe
Vampire, Interrupted ~ Lynsay Sands


Graphic Novels:

Saga: Vol. 1, 2, & 3 ~ Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples
Locke & Key, Vol.1: Welcome to Lovecraft ~ Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games ~ Hill & Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows ~ Hill & Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol 4: Keys to the Kingdom ~ Hill & Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol 5: Clockworks ~ Hill & Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol 6: Alpha and Omega ~ Hill & Rodriguez
The Unwritten, Vol 1 ~ Carey & Gross  
Y: The Last Man, Vol 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 ~ Brian K. Vaughn, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan Jr*

*Unread for 2014. Moved to 2015.


Additionally see Challenges, Alphabet Challenge

Dreaded Slumps

Book slumps are decidedly frustrating. There is no rhyme or reason as to when they happen. Perhaps the book just read or currently reading is particularly dull. For some reason, the drive behind reading and reading and reading has simply vanished.

By the end of October, I was in the middle of no less than three books. None of them were grabbing my attention and holding it. I kept putting books up and down. The sense of obligation to finish those that are started weighed heavily upon my shoulders. To date, I am in the middle of two of them still and finished the other recently.

I ventured into the adult genre, stepping outside of the young adult sphere. I was finding deliciously wonderful books to read, "Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruis Zafon and The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain.

The year began full force, averaging 5-6 books a month, it's dwindled to two. I feel like a failure. But then to remind myself that so many people read 1-2 books a year or none at all. I beat my book goal and page count goal. The end of the year seems very anticlimactic.

Hopefully 2015 will start with new goals, refreshed and ready to read, with many ideas on where to start. Cheers!

~SK

End of Summer Update

Been in a slight reading slump. Procrastinating writing reviews. But mostly, reading adult fiction. Giving myself a break from the Young Adult.

~SK

BookTube-A-Thon: Wrap-Up

Total Books: 8
Total Pages: 2168

Total Challenges Completed: 7

1. A book with pictures.

Drama ~ Raina Telgemeier

2. Start and finish a series.
 
Seeds of Time (1) ~ KC Dyer
Secret of Light (2) ~ KC Dyer
Shades of Red (3) ~ KC Dyer

3. A book with red on the cover.

The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
Shades of Red ~ KC Dyer

4. A book someone else picks for you.

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Drama ~ Raina Telgemeie

5. A book from the genre you've read the least of this year.

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny

6. A book to movie adaptation (and watch the movie).

The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
 
7.  7 books or 300 pages a day.

Total Books: 8



Favourite Quotes:

" ... there is greater honour in a field well plowed than in a field steeped in blood." ~ The Black Cauldron (p. 27)

"There is a destiny laid on us to do what we must do, though it is not always given to us to see it." ~ The Black Cauldron (p.71)

*Both are spoken by Adaon, my favourite character in the whole book.



From World War Z:

[In regards to Allies winning WWII] "Anyone with the most rudimentary understanding of that conflict will give you three real reasons: first, the ability to manufacture more material, more bullets, beans, and bandages than the enemy; second, the natural resources available to manufacture that material; and third, the logistical means not only to transport those resources to the factories, but also to transport the finished products out to the front lines."

[In regards to Buckingham Palace and the Queen]
"One shielded our bodies, the other, our souls."

"It's ironic that the only way to kill a zombie is to destroy its brain, , because, as a group, they have no collective brain to speak of. There was no leadership, no chain of command, no communication or cooperation on any level. There was no president to assassinate, no HQ bunker to surgically strike. Each zombie is its own, self-contained, automated unit, and this last advantage is what truly encaspulates the entire conflict."

"For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth."

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 7

Total Pages Read: 316

Total Goals Met: 2. Start and finish a series,  3. A book with red on the cover,  7.  7 books or 300 pages a day.

Book Count: 8


Completed


Shades of Red ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 270
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #3 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Finished: 110 - 270

Quick Review: I enjoyed this series. I forgot how much I love historical fiction. This book though, my favourite. Wrapped up all the loose ends, touched on really controversial subjects, and brought me to tears. Excellent.


5/5 STARS





Started/Continued

Fire ~ Kristin Cashore
Pages: 461
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Book #2 of the Graceling Realm

Continued: p. 34 - 190

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 6

Total Pages Read: 390

Total Goals Met: 2. Start a series, 3. A book with red on the cover, 4. A book someone else picks for you, 5. A book from the genre you've read the least of this year, 7.  7 books.

Book Count: 7

Completed

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Pages: 373
Genre: Mystery, Adult, Canadian
Book #8 of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Finished: 168 - 373


Quick Review: I never normally read murder/mystery/detective novels. My mother challenged me, I took it. She suggested a perfect book for me - monks, music, and mysterious manuscripts. While I thoroughly enjoyed the feel of this book, it felt slow. Perhaps that was by design, to be calm and peaceful. Possibly not the most exciting book to read for a book marathon.






World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War ~ Max Brooks

Pages: 342
Genre: Apocalyptic, Adult, Sci Fi, Zoooombiiiiies

Finished: p. 301 - 342

Quick Review: Boy, was I surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. Upon relfection it might be the way the story was framed: as a multiple point-of-view account of a war, much like historical non-fiction. The terrifying thing is the zombie seemed plausible. Half of it because of the realism. Each person, recalling their war experience, had their own voices. Fantastic.





Started/Continued

Shades of Red ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 270
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #3 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Started: p. 1 - 110













Fire ~ Kristin Cashore
Pages: 461
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Book #2 of the Graceling Realm

Started: p. 1 - 34

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 5

Total Pages Read: 166

Total Goals Met: 3. A book with red on the cover, 4. A book someone else picks for you, 5. A book from the genre you've read the least of this year.

Book Count: 5

Started/Continued


The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Pages: 373
Genre: Mystery, Adult, Canadian
Book #8 of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Continued: 36 - 168












World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War ~ Max Brooks
Pages: 342
Genre: Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zoooombiiiiies

Continued: p. 267 - 301

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 4

Total Pages Read: 212

Total Goals Met: 2. Start a series, 3. A book with red on the cover, 6. A book to movie adaptation (and watch the movie).

Book Count: 5

Completed


Secret of Light ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 245
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #2 of Eagle Glen Trilogy


Started: 79 - 245



Quick Review: I didn't like this one as much as the first one, however, it was an enjoyable story none the less. Leonardo DaVinci makes an appearance and I liked the angle that Dyer took with him. He was mildly infuriating; what you would expect a genius to be like.


3/5 STARS



The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
Pages: 178
Genre: Fantasy
Book #2 of The Chronicles of Prydian


Quick Review: I have so much to say. So much anger. I watched this movie as a young un'. Now that I've read the book, I dislike the adaptation of the story. The characters were sort of similar, but the same plot was no where to be found. All in all, I'd say experience the book and the movie as two separate entities.

2/5 STARS


Started/Continued


The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Pages: 373
Genre: Mystery, Adult, Canadian
Book #8 of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Started: 1 - 35

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War ~ Max Brooks
Pages: 342
Genre: Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zoooombiiiiies

Continued: p. 256 - 267

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 3

Total Pages Read: 334

Total Goals Met: 2. Start a series, 3. A book with red on the cover, 7.  300 pages a day.

Book Count: 4

Completed


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ JK Rowling
Pages: 317
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult/Children's
Book #3 in the Harry Potter series

Finished: p. 67 - 317


Quick Review: When Harry's naive wonder of the magical world started to become tainted with the horrors of reality. Also, how one misremembers things because of the movie franchise taking liberty with events....

5/5 STARS




Started/Continued

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War ~ Max Brooks
Pages: 342
Genre: Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zoooombiiiiies

Continued: p. 249-256

Secret of Light ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 245
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #2 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Started: 1-78

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 2

Total Pages Read: 317

Total Goals Met: 2. Start a series, 7. 300 pages a day.

Book Count: 3

Completed

Seeds of Time ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 256
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #1 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Finished: p. 24-256

Quick Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this first book. Time travel and mystery wrapped into one. Loved the characters and the setting. Can't wait to read books 2 and 3 this week!


4/5 STARS


Started/Continued


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ JK Rowling
Pages: 317
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult/Children's
Book #3 in the Harry Potter series

Started: p. 1 - 67










World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War ~ Max Brooks
Pages: 342
Genre: Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zoooombiiiiies

Continued: p. 233-249

BookTube-A-Thon: Day 1

Total Pages Read: 435

Total Goals Met: 1. A book with pictures, 3. A book with red on the cover, 4. A book someone else picks for you, 6. A book to movie adaptation, 7. 300 pages a day. 

Book Count: 2

Completed:


The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
Pages: 1- 178
Genre: Fantasy
Book #2 of The Chronicles of Prydian



Quick Review: Loved it. The writing is incredible. I have a new favourite character: Adaon, the wise-bard-prince. Having watched the movie many times, I can say without a doubt it does not do justice to Lloyd Alexander's story.

4/5 STARS






Drama ~ Raina Telgemier

Pages: 1- 233
Genre: Graphic Novel, Contemporary




Quick Review: Laugh out loud funny. Though, I'm not entirely sure I laughed at the right moments. It's a middle school drama, so lots of she likes him but he likes her, etc. I had to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but also because I'm guilty of the same. Loved the drawing style.

4/5 STARS




Started: 

Seeds of Time ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 256
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #1 of Eagle Glen Trilogy


Finished the day at page 24

Book-Tube-A-Thon TBR

Here are the books I have on my shelf ready to complete each of these challenges. As the week goes along, I'll choose based on the mood that strikes me.

TBR: 

1. A book with pictures.

The Strictest School ~ Howard Whitehouse
The Faceless Fiend ~ Howard Whitehouse
Alice in Wonderland ~ Lewis Carroll
Drama ~ Raina Telgemeier


2. Start and finish a series.

Seeds of Time (1) ~ KC Dyer
Secret of Light (2) ~ KC Dyer
Shades of Red (3) ~ KC Dyer


3. A book with red on the cover.

The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
The Drackenberg Adventure ~ Lloyd Alexander
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy (1) ~ Tui T. Sutherland
Shades of Red ~ KC Dyer
Fire (2) ~ Kristin Cashore


4. A book someone else picks for you.

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Drama ~ Raina Telgemeier
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy (1) ~ Tui T. Sutherland


5. A book from the genre you've read the least of this year.

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny


6. A book to movie adaptation (and watch the movie).

The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander


7.  7 books or 300 pages a day.

Updates daily.




Page count and other details:

Seeds of Time ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 256
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #1 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Secret of Light ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 245
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #2 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

Shades of Red ~ KC Dyer
Pages: 270
Genre: Time Travel, Young Adult, Canadian
Book #3 of Eagle Glen Trilogy

The Strictest School ~ Howard Whitehouse
Pages: 252
Genre: Historical, Humour, Fantasy, Children's
Book #1 of The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones

Illustrator Bill Slavin is Canadian







The Faceless Fiend ~ Howard Whitehouse
Pages: 272
Genre: Historica, Humour, Fantasy, Children's
Book #2 of The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones

Illustrator Bill Slavin is Canadian

Dragonet Prophecy ~ Tui T. Sutherland
Pages: 304
Genre: Fantasy, Children's
Book #1 of The Wings of Fire series

Drama ~ Raina Telgemier
Pages: 233
Genre: Graphic Novel, Contemporary

The Black Cauldron ~ Lloyd Alexander
Pages: 178
Genre: Fantasy
Book #2 of The Chronicles of Prydian

The Drackenberg Adventure ~ Lloyd Alexander
Pages: 152
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery
Book #3 in The Vesper Holly series

Fire ~ Kristin Cashore
Pages: 461
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Book #2 of the Graceling Realm

The Beautiful Mystery ~ Louise Penny
Pages: 373
Genre: Mystery, Adult, Canadian
Book #8 of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache









Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ JK Rowling
Pages: 317
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult/Children's
Book #3 in the Harry Potter series

Alice in Wonderland ~ Lewis Carroll, edited by Donald J Gray
Pages: 99
Genre: Fantasy and Whimsy, Children's or Mathematician's

BookTube-A-Thon 2014

Created by BookTuber Ariel Bisset, fellow Canadian, the goal is to complete as many challenges within a week time frame. From July 15 - 21, along with thousands of others, I will attempt to complete the given challenges.

Read:

1. A book with pictures.
2. Start and finish a series.
3. A book someone else picks for you.
4. A book from the genre you've read the least of this year.
5. A book to movie adaptation (and watch the movie).
6.  7 books or 300 pages a day.

I need a few days to mull over my TBR for this coming week. Hmmmm ...

Find the challenge video here: https://www.youtube.com/user/BookTubeAThon

A, B, C... Alphabet Book Challenge

Easy peasy? Read books starting with all the letters of the alphabet. Considering the length of my 2014 reading list, I can easily fulfill this challenge. Forseeable bumps in the road: finding books that start with letters such as Q or X*. I am not counting small words as the letters (the, a, if, etc). 

Challenge Accepted!

A - Angelfall ~ Susan Ee
B - Black Cauldron, The ~ Lloyd Alexander
C - Coldest Girl in Coldtown, The ~ Holly Black
D - Daughter of Smoke and Bone ~ Laini Taylor
E - Elske ~ Cynthia Voigt
F - Fangirl ~ Rainbow Rowell
G - Graceling ~ Kristin Cashore
H - High King's Tomb, The ~ Kristen Britain
I - Vampire, Interrupted ~ Lyndsay Sands
J - Joust ~ Mercedes Lackey
K - Keturah & Lord Death ~ Martine Leavitt
L - Love Knot, The ~ Sue Deobold
M - Monuments Men, The ~Robert M. Edsel
N - Name of the Wind, The ~ Patrick Rothfuss
O - Of Poseidon ~ Anna Banks
P - Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen
Q - ////////
R - Landline ~ Rainbow Rowell
S - Shatter Me ~ Tahereh Mafi
T - This is All I Ask ~ Lynn Kurland
U - Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The ~ Michelle Hodkin
V - Vicious ~ V.E. Schwab
W - Wrinkle in Time, A ~ Madeleine L'Engle 
X - ////////
Y - Young Adult Literature: Romance to Realism ~ Michael Cart
Z - Shadow of the Wind, The ~ Carlos Ruiz Zafon

* By the end of the year, I was wanting to read any book rather than trying desperately to find books with a Q or an X that I wanted to read. I gave up on those two and pushed the boundary on some of the other letters.